How to Tile a Garage Floor

This is a do-it-yourself guide for covering your garage floor with interlocking PVC floor tiles. Interlocking PVC tiles make this process straightforward; think of it as adult Legos. The tools and materials needed for this project are:

rubber mallet

utility knife

tape measure

pencil

chalk

kneepads

Interlocking PVC floor tiles

Interlocking PVC garage floor tiles come in many colors. You could co-ordinate with the colors of your overhead door from Aaron’s Garage Doors here in Nashville, Tennessee, or with the color of your home, for example. The tiles can be easily installed on the garage floor without adhesive. Laying the tiles is a three part procedure:

Part 1 – Prepare the garage. Design a floor pattern with your chosen colors. Grid paper is a useful tool for this. Calibrate the grid paper to the size of your garage floor and map out your new design. Thoroughly clean the floor; make sure the floor is completely dry before laying the tile. Condition the tiles for 24 hours before placing them. The room temperature needs to be mild, 65 to 76 degrees F. Establish center points for the walls and establish chalk lines on the floor from those points, dividing the floor into quadrants.

Part 2 – Center the tiles. This is the most important part of the task. Start at the center and lay four tiles – one in each quadrant. Use the rubber mallet to lock the tiles in place.

Part 3 – Complete the tiling. Expand the flooring by snapping additional tiles around the perimeter of the square formed in the second step. Complete one circumference at a time, consulting your grid design as you go. At the walls, trim the tiles with the utility knife. Leave a quarter of an inch gap at the wall. This allows for expansion.

If the floor is likely to get wet, or to suffer spills, apply a sealing coat. This can be purchased wherever you bought the tiles. Use a long handled roller to apply. The new tile floor will enhance your workspace.